Friday, March 11, 2005

The UK's new terrorism home detention law has passed, following an offer by British Prime Minister, Tony Blair to allow MPs to review the law in a year's time.

The House of Lords had insisted on a 'sunset clause' that would see the legislation contained within the bill expire within 12 months and also wanted to raise the burden of proof from 'grounds for suspicion' to the 'balance of probabilities'. They dropped these demands in return for a review in 12 moonths time by an independent commissioner.

However, the botom line is: no automatic expiry of the new law; no restrictions on the burden of proof and -despite the hoopla-- no review process with any teeth.

The new laws apply to Britons -not just "foreigners"- and the UK Government is suspending the right to a fair trial guaranteed under European law, the only country to do so.